Box-making machine



Sept. 29; 192.5.

Y A. T. SPENCER BOX MAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 14. 1924 Illlllllllllllllllllllllll Sept. 29, 1925.

. A. T. SPENCER Box MAKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14. 1924 5 Sheets-$heot 2 Sept. 29, 1925.; 1,555,161

I A. 'T. $FENCER BOX MAKING MACHINE Filed on. 14, 1924 5 Sheets- 511s 5 Sept. 29, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 A. T. SPENCER BOX MAKING MACHINE Filed 0st, 14. 1924 wssnm A.T.SPENER BOX MAKING MACHINE Sept. 29, 1925.

'5 sheets shset 5 Filed 00'? 14. 1924 MQ Q Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

BRITAIN.

BOX-MAKING MACHINE;

Application fiIed OctObe r' 14; 1924! sri'lai ire 7431530;

R, ef j ct of theK ne o G e Br fei' residing at Leicester, in the county of beingghadtherein to the accompanying making box-blanks assemblin gzthecom i I ponent parts and uniting them by adhesive strips.

rme le che i r cq-re e 'e th' blz k', mp n n and. m ly t h not 1 clus ively, applicable to the machine, de-

nents ar e fed from pil'esor stacks to carrier guides leng which theyare' q ed' bxlme 5 wh h oa e t hemf id th n Rees 's. them onto deyices which apply adhesiye p t ii esten t e c rre a ed: mpellente together to-form the box-blank. The {neckmrqn ii fte we av be n t d an i or lt ey a 1' 'nedi to e h ahe h r or fore been of the reciprocating typeandcon j st d] Qfi'a rec p o at n h v ng ere: on fingers to engage the blank components and upush them along the carrier guides. Aftereach fory'vard' operative stroke of'the said bar it has been necessary that itjshould make an idlereturn stroke to'normal position before the next set of blank components could be co-related.

The objectof the present invention is: to enable the machineto give a greater output in a given time Without necessarily increasing the speed of travelzof the components through the machine. This obj ect'is achieved by providing for a box-making machine of this kilid' an improved form of mechanism for co-relating the blank components" and conveying .themto the strip applying devicesr'said mechanism operating in" such a manner that the time heretofore absorbed by the idle return stroke of co-relating members'is saved.

The idea" 'is to provide for the above" men tioned purpose mechanism Which Will operc means. sm whic aut mmcau co=relates the ate. in continuous manner d that the sets of blank components, although they may travel-at thesame'rate of speed as formerly,

follow one another in closer order with consequential increase in the output of themech ne; For 1nstance, fthe lmproved mechanism may include a number of blank engagingmembers whichj in their operative move'- ment follow one another in success on; The

operative movement of thes'e-members may be conti'nuous, or it may, alternatively be intermittentg he i l t c, In the preferredform of the invention,

the mechanism for the aforesaid purpose 1 i compr ses endless cha ns, bands, belts or similar means adapted or provided thereoii withfdevicesto engage the blank components after they have been fed. l

prises; a series of small gvvheels. or rollers ita ly. bta e j to mpart th req i e actuated by rotary screws or equivalent In any. Of t e w ki Ym fi iened i nisi th a :15 j ev 9 t b nk c mponen s b ank x geng'aging devices i of lsuitable,fojrmf may be iSO blank e g ging, cler ces, m ers o he lik i y b Qn lmi usly m v ng "o th ymay,

v an in e m tt t m ve ntib t the ae ture is-thatjthey are of such a character and arrangement as will enable the sets ofcomponents to follow in closerj order ormore rapid successionthan formerly.

In further describing the inve'ntion refer ence will be made to the accompanying draWmgjs Wherem, 1 4 H I, ,7 V

Figure 1 1s a side elevat on of a convenient embodiment of theinvention. r

F'1gure21s a plan of the same omlttingthe means for supplying the adhesive jstjrip,

Figure 3 is a section taken on line wa, "g

of Figure 2. a

Figure 4 is a ;detai1 hereinafter particularly re err o-V r v v 1 Figure 51s a sldeelevat on and r V V Figurefi is an end eleyatlon',v e'wed from the invention. g c

Figures '3 and {1: are drawn to" parts are designatedby the sani'e reference characters throughout the drawings.

the leftof Figure 4, of a modified form of i According to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 1, the mechanism for co-relating and conveying the blank components a which travel along the grooved carrier guides Z) adjustably mounted on the machine in the known manner, comprises a series of endless chains 1 there being, in the present instance, one chain for each side blank and two chains for the centre blank. These chains run parallel and adjacent to the inner guides b and, if desired, channels 2 may be provided in the latter along which channels the chains 1 travel. The chains are carried by suitable pulleys or rollers 3 rotatably mounted in the guides at the opposite ends of each channel, and engage sprocket wheels 4= on a driven shaft 5 being driven thereby continuously in the same direction. Attached to the chains are sets of dogs or like projections 6 which engage with the rear edges of the blank components to push the latter along the guides. continuously the dogs follow one another in a forward direction, i. e. the direction shown by the arrow in Figure 1, for dealing with the sets of components a in succession. The dogs or projections 6 may be adjustable on the chains in order to ensure the proper corelation of said components and in order that the relationship between the chains 1 may be adjusted for the same purpose, the sprocket wheels 4 are attached to the shaft 5 in a manner which admits rotary adjustment being efi'ected. To this end the shaft 5 has keyed upon it a pair of hubs 7 to each of which two of the sprocket wheels are attached by means of studs 8, which are fixed in the hub and passed through slots 9 in said Wheels, and nuts 10, in the manner shown in Figure 3. The slots in the inner sprocket wheels may be made longer than those in the outer wheels so as to permit of a more extensive adjustment of the chains carrying the dogs for engaging the centre blank. The sprocket wheels may be adjusted by loosening the nuts 10 and rotating said wheels on their hubs to the desired extent after which the nuts are again tightened.

If desired, in order to facilitate the adjustl'nent of the sprocket wheels each'of the latter may be provided with a toothed segment11 seeFigure 4 adapted to beengaged by a pinion 12 rotatably mounted on one of the studs8. By means of a knurled knob or head 13 fast with the pinion 12 the latter can be turned to rotate the sprocket wheel to the desired extent on the hub, after which said wheel can be fastened to the hub or bobbin by tightening the nuts 10. -By means of the adjustable sprocket wheels and the adjustability of the dogs on the chains, the said dogs can be brought into the desired co-relation for co-relating the blank components in each set. There may of Since the chains travel course, be only one set of dogs on the chains. The hubs 7 are slidably keyed on the shaft 5 so as to permit of them being moved in company with the guides b when the latter are adjusted to accommodate blanks of different widths. For this purpose also said hubs also rotate in yokes or brackets 1 1 suspended from the inner guides 79. I, I

Each set of blanks is fed in -the known manner from piles or stacks in a hopper or Figure 2, and then push them along the guides and into the adhesive strip applyingrollers 6, wherein the adhesive strip is applied to the blanks to fasten them together in the usual way, after which the assembled blanks are deposited on a suitable table or other support (not shown).

At or near the front end of'the carrier guides there are preferably provided members 15 having bevelled ends forming inclines to raise the blank components as they pass thereover and thus disengage the rear edges from the dogs or projections 6 before the chains pass round the adjacent carrier pulleys 3. -This prevents the forward inclination of the dogs, consequential uponthe passage of the chains round the carrier pulleys, from pressing upon the top of the components and tending to bind or bend them. a

In conjunction with'the improved co-relating mechanism it is found preferable to provide, for feeding the adhesive strips rotary means such for example as rollers or wheels 16 and 17 operating with an intermittent rotary movement. These rollers or wheels are conveniently driven by a chain 18 through the medium of a free wheel or one way clutch device which may comprise a sprocket wheel 19 on a sleeve 20 having a disc 21 thereon and rotatable on the hub of a ratchet wheel 22 fast on a shaft 23 on which the rollers 16 are mounted. The disc carries spring controller pawls 24 adapted to engage the ratchet wheel. The chain is anchored at one end to the machine frame and passes round a sprocket Wheel 25, rotatably mounted in one end of a lever 26 fulcrumed upon a strut 27 attached to the machine frame, and round thesprocket wheel 19, the opposite end of the chain being attached to a tension spring 28. The lever 26 is provided with a cam roll 29 which is engaged by a cam 30 on the shaft 5 and the arrangement is that as the cam rotates the chain is pulled in one direction by the lever and in the reverse direction by the spring, intermittent rotation being therethe guides b and;suitab1ydriven, and"by 20 adjacent ends 'of the 'infier icarrierfgirid'sf st) as to VbeLmb ed "in compan Withfsaid g ides when the letter areadj-listed forthepurpos'e hereinbefore mentioned. Eachchain"is alsc engitged by, a roller carried by stream or plzi'tc 37"atijufstebly attached tdthe ad-j or equivalent. alteringthe' positien of this IOHeI" the teI fSiOn of the chljiil may be varied." t

The (chains "are provid edfwith 'dogsor prd Order that the rehttichship between the chains Ihy be: 'aflj u'std j f'f prbperly 'co-re lating theblehks the sprocket Wheels! 31 are? adjustahly jmim tedr on the sleeves 32. Tb this end. the'lends'o'f the sleevese're redueea' totrjceive the sprcket Wheels endere -31st) screw threaded tb receive nut, devices 39'f0'1" clamping: the Wheel'sfagaihstthe shouldersor abutments' fbrmedixby educing the efl'd's 0f thesle ves, Byffslaclceniffgthe m'l't dcvices the sprocket wheel's may, be; turned tetherequired extent. to bring the dogs er 'other pr b jections 6 in'tb't'h'e desired ice-reletidn after which the- Wheels can be fastened by, tighten ingthe nuts a ain;

In! the' modified," arreil'gement jhst" de: scribed the blanks .are fed into' the carrier guides by -v rellers kind. are acted upbn the dogs or projections '6 and t the: adhesive strip applyingj rollers whichfvin this .czis'egl consistofa pair. of t ners; e associated with each of thefirif r'ier carrier. guidesfbl arrd re-. ceivih'g thefgadhesive strip fremf the feed 1611- ers 16 ehdf17 ina nia'nnerlsirhiliktbithht previoilsl y described .herein. The. ,Clittifl .1 anfdf eohsequentlyf the carrier 'g'uid" bars. 6

are however; extended somewhat beybnfd' fthev rollers 6 so as to enable the' dogsflorfprqjec tie ifs to phsh theii ihto a'hcther series t of pressing rollers 40, 41 .f0r1the purpose of,

subjecting the adhesive stripsappli'ed tothe' however, be adpterf fdf'drivingflsziid Ura bdx makihgfmachhie of the kind herein deshrlbe'cl, mechanism for. cO-rehttmg bei-ls' in thiribp I another lntshcc'esslcn."

attire mdvemntfonow one I box"blahkcbhtpbnents; devices fe rfapplyihg strips 3 to said collr'rpofriehts; and mechanism for co-reliti n'gi the ce lhphnhts in each set and conveyingthem frbih'the' feeding me'an's to the striiofapplyingflhdefices, sfaid niech anis'ih'" lcomprisin'g'. blzthk V engaging members,

which; their operative movement follc'w onewanot-her- 1n SHC CGSSlOIl JSfil'd operatl-ve' 5-. 1M LboX mak n machine of the kind.

hei eih d eseribed ih' combin'atiofi means fer storing number of box; blanksymeans' for feedmglsets 70f" sald blanks 111,success10n,

meafisIfOr applying. strips to the. blahks' in feeding, co relate, them cb'nvey theih to .'.the' tripi ppl'ying,means; said.v co relat ing'flaheehaifism .operatin'g..,in'r.a cehtinhchsi mail ier...

6. In a boxmelkihgmctinetrthe kih'd 1 herein described, in combination, means for storing a number of box blanks in separate series, carrier guides for the blanks in each series, means for feeding sets of said blanks to the carrier guides, and means for moving the blanks in each' set along the carrier guides and bringing them into proper corelation for being joined together, saidmoving'and co-relating means operating in a continuous manner.

7. In a box making machine of the kind herein described, in combination, means for storing a number of box blanks, carrier guides for said blanks, means for feeding the blanks to the carrier guides in successive sets, means for applying strips to the blanks herein described, carrier guides for sets of the box blank components, travelling end lessmembers, and devices on said members to engage the blank components in each set and move them along the guides.

10. In a box making machine of the kind herein described, in combination, carrier guides for the box blank components, means for feeding the components to said guides in sets, endless chains running adjacent to said guides, and dogs on said chains to push the components along the guidesa 11. In a box making machine of the kind herein described, in combination, carrier guides for the box blank components means for feeding the box blanks to said guides in successive sets, each comprising a plurality of blanks arranged side by side, endless chains running adjacent to said guides, and dogs on said chains to push blanks in of each set along their respective guides.

12. In a box making machine of the kind herein described, in combination, means for storing a number of box blanks, carrier guides for said blanks,.means for'feeding the blanks in successive sets to the carrier guides, means for applying strips to the blanks in each set, endless chains running adjacent to the carrier guides, and devices on said chains adapted to engage the'blanks in each set after feeding and co -relate them and convey them, along the strip applying means.

13. In a box'making machine of the kind herein described, in combination, carrier guides for a plurality of the box blanks, endless chains running adjacent to said guides to, the

guides, devices on said chains to engage the boxblanks n successivesets and push them along the guides,'sp'rocket'Wheels for drlv- -ing said chains and means for driving said sprocket Wheel continuously in the same direction- I i 145; In a herein described, "in combination, carrier guides for a plurality of the box blanks,

endless chains running adjacent and parallel to said guides, sprocket Wheels for driving said chains, means to impart rotation to said sprocket wheels continuously in the same direction, and devices on said chains 15. In a box making machine of the kind herein described, in combination, carrier guides for the box blanks, endless chains running adjacent to said guides, devices on said chains to engage box blanks in guides and move them therealong, means to carry and impart movement to said chains, and means whereby relative adjustment between the chainsmay be effected to vary the position ofthe blank engaging devices of one chain relatively to those of another.

16. In a box making machine of thekind herein described, in combination, carrier guides for the box blanks, endless chains running adjacent to said guides, devices on said chains to engage box blanks in the guides and move them therealong, sprocket Wheels for driving said chains, a shaft on Which said sprocket Wheels are mounted, and

means whereby rotary adjustment of said Wheels on said shaft may be effected to vary 18. In a box making machine of the kind herein described in combination, carrier guides for the box blanks, endless chalns running adjacent to said guides, pulleys .carrying said chains, devices on said chains to engage box blanks in the guides and move them therealong a driven shaft, hubs fixed thereon, sprocket Wheels on said hubs and box making machine of the kind the relative operating positions of the blank I driving the chains, and studs and nuts fas tening saidsprocket Wheels to'the hubs, the vsprocket Wheels beingslotted' so as to be capable ofrotary adjustment relatively to each other on the hubs.

19. In a box making machine of the kind herein described, in combination, carrier guides for the box blanks, endless chains running parallel to said guides, pulleys carrying the chains, devices on said chains to engage box blanks in the guides and move them therealong, a driven shaft, hubs fixed thereon, sprocket wheels on said hubs and driving the chains, studs and nuts fastening said sprocket wheels to the hubs said studs passing through slots in the wheels whereby the latter may be rotatably adjusted relatively to each other on the hubs, toothed segements on the sprocket wheels, pinions rotatably mounted on the studs and meshing with the toothed segments, and means for rotating the pinions to effect rotative adjustment of the sprocket wheels.

20. In a box making machine of the kind herein described, in combination, guides to fcarry a plurality of the box blanks side by side, endless chains running parallel to said guides, devices on said chains to engage with the rear edges of box blanks in the guides and move them therealong, and inclines located at the front ends of the carrier guides to raise the box blanks as they pass thereover and disengage the rear edges thereof from the devices on the chains.

21. In a box making machine of the kind herein described, in combination, guides to carry a plurality of the box blanks side by side, endless chains running parallel to said guides, pulleys carrying said chains, dogs on the chains to engage the rear edges of the box blanks to move the latter forward along the guides, and inclines located at the front ends of the carrier guides to raise the box blanks as they pass thereover and disengage the rear edges thereof from the dogs on the chains before the latter pass around the carrier pulleys.

22. In a box making machine of the kind herein described, in combination, carrier guides for the box blanks, means for applying strips to the box blanks for connecting them together, endless chains running adjacent to the carrier guides, devices on said chains to engage the box blanks and move them along the guides, and pressing rollers,

said carrier guides and endless chains extending beyond the strip applying means so that the connected box blanks are pushed between the pressing rollers by the devices on the chains.

23. In a box making machine of the kind herein described, in combination, guides to carry a plurality of the box blanks side by side, endless chains running adjacent to said guides, sprocket wheels and rollers at the opposite ends of said guides carrying said chains, a driven shaft, and sleeves slidably keyed on said shaft, the sprocket wheels being carried by said sleeves.

24. In a box making machine of the kind herein described, in combination, guides to carry a plurality of the box blanks side by side, endless chains running adjacent to said guides, sprocket wheels and rollers at the opposite ends of the guides carrying the chains, a driven shaft, sleeves slidably keyed on said shaft and carrying said sprocket wheels, and means for adjustably securing the sprocket wheels to the sleeves.

25. In a box making machine of the kind herein described in combination, strip applying means, carrier guides to guide the box blanks to said means, continuously acting mechanism to convey the box blanks along said guides to the strip applying means, rotary devices operating with an intermittent rotary movement for feeding the strips, and means for actuating said rotary devices.

26. In a box making machine of the kind herein described, in combination, strip applying means, carrier guides to guide the box blanks to said means, continuously acting mechanism to convey the box blanks along said guides to the strip applying means, rotary devices for feeding the strips, and means for operating said devices with an intermittent rotary movement said means consisting of a free wheel clutch for driving said devices, a chain for actuating said free wheel clutch, a spring controlling said chains, a lever to actuate the chains, and a cam to actuate the lever.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALFRED THORN SPENCER. 

